Thomas Comforts Crying Fan

The Boston Bruins goaltender had a touching moment after being ousted by the Caps.

For Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas it was a rough season; not so much on the ice but rather in the public eye. He didn’t cause any problems off the ice; he just blew off the president when the Bruins went to the White House to honor last season’s Stanley Cup victory – no big deal.

On the ice, Thomas showed no type of championship hangover, finishing this season with a 35-19-1 record and a 2.36 goals-against average.

But even Thomas couldn’t save the second seeded Bruins on Wednesday night, as Boston was ousted from the playoffs by the Washington Capitals with a 2-1 overtime Game 7 loss.

The Bruins fans were not only shocked and disappointed, but many began to get emotional. While the team was preparing to thank their fans for their support throughout the season, the 38-year-old goaltender noticed one fan seemed very distraught.

Photo courtesy of NESN

Thomas then went over to the glass and made a smile on his face with his hands, which was followed up by a playful wave to the disappointed youngster. If you blinked you might have missed it, as it was quick; but the spontaneous moment was very heartfelt and might just finish Thomas’ legacy in Boston.

The 2011 playoff MVP has a talented young backup behind him in Tuukka Rask, not to mention his no-movement clause concludes on July 1. He’s signed for one more year and is a $5 million cap hit.

"I had the picture in my head of holding the Cup again this year," Thomas told NESN. "And I thought — I believed in — that this team still had what it took to get it done, even with that short summer and everything else."

Will he ever get another chance to hoist the cup? Who knows. But after making the NHL despite years in the minor leagues, Thomas will always have something to smile about.